Equality measures

Apropos of the report Nandigram violence is unfortunate, says PM (Nov 21), in a democracy all are said to be equal and certain fundamental rights are guaranteed by the Constitution.

indiaUpdated: Nov 25, 2007 20:42 IST

Hindustan Times

Apropos of the report Nandigram violence is unfortunate, says PM (November 21), in a democracy all are said to be equal and certain fundamental rights are guaranteed by the Constitution. In an Orwellian animal farm all are equal but some are more equal than others. When Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee classifies “we from “they”, he asserts that “we” are more equal than “them’’.

KK Mohanty,via e-mail

Political paradise

With reference to the editorial Karnataka unhinged (November 21), I support President’s rule in the state in the present stage of political crisis created by former PM H.D. Deve Gowda. During President’s rule, all criminal cases against politicians and bureaucrats must be processed on a fast track without paying attention to the status of the accused. The judiciary may consider this as a public interest duty. In fact, India in general, and Karnataka in particular, has become a paradise for politicians and criminals, and education and alleviation of poverty have taken a backseat.

BS Ganesh,Bangalore

Maoist marauders

Apropos of Nandini Sundar’s article 'Out of sight, out of mind'(November 21), Salwa Judum is a people’s reaction to decades of Maoist terror which the writer has avoided mentioning. Why Salwa Judum hurts Stalinist human rights groups is that it has for the first time delegitimised the communist monopoly of speaking for people. The Maoist marauders, who are bleeding India, have their friends in the form of well-paid professors. But once the Maoists take over, such people will be put to use working in the paddy fields. Even in Mao’s China, intellectuals were ninth-grade citizens.

Priyadarsi Dutta,Delhi

II

How can Nandini Sundar think of drawing an analogy between Gujarat, Nandigram and Salwa judum? She appears to be another Left-leaning professor who is trying to defend the indefensible. The Chhattisgarh government is trying its best to combat the Naxalites and Salwa Judum is a positive step in that direction. Being from Chhattisgarh, I believe those who oppose the Salwa Judum are traitors.